Giovanni Troupee has been with FC Utrecht since he was 11-years-old and has grown into their first choice right-back in their attacking system. He sat out of the end of last season with an injury but that did not diminish the strong season he had as teams from bigger leagues tried to pry him away from Utrecht at only 19-years-old. The Eredivisie is a breeding ground for young and talented Dutch right-backs as National Team coaches at all levels are spoilt for choice. Troupee along with Sean Klaiber, Sofyan Amrabat, Bart Ramselaar and Gyrano Kerk are just a few of the players from the Utrecht academy who have developed well under the tutelage of Erik ten Hag.

Playing Style

Troupee is an overtly attacking right-back who enjoys pinning back his opposition winger and fullback, especially when Utrecht switch to their 3-1-3-3 attacking shape. In the season before last, he scored a goal in the semi-final of the Europa League Playoff against PEC Zwolle while he has dominated Feyenoord left-back Michel Nelom on two occasions this season. He scored a goal against Feyenoord at the Galgenwaard this season in a game where Feyenoord could only claw back for a draw with the last kick of the game. Troupee likes to make underlapping runs and drive into goalscoring positions as well as having the pace to overlap too. Troupee is comfortable in terms of going to ground to win possession with well-timed sliding tackles as well as not allowing wingers to go on the outside of him. In ten Hag’s system, the fullbacks are normally positioned higher up the pitch to create width which has been beneficial for the development of Troupee.

What is next for Giovanni Troupee?

His last season ended prematurely through injury as Utrecht will find themselves lucky to keep their academy product for another season where he will continue as their first choice right-back. Troupee is contracted to Utrecht to 2021 and in a summer where they lost so many players, the right-back will continue to develop under ten Hag as they chase Europa League football again. Competition will be tight for the position in Art Langeler’s Jong Oranje team while it is a hope that Troupee can sustain another season of consistency and fitness.